-From a perspective one could say that EVA's base is through it's development and interaction of the psyche's of the series characters. Characters that possess a rarely unseen degree of realism that is incredibly human. These profiles should give an overview of what that realism is, along with quite a few intresting tidbits i've found that should give some more insight. I must mention much of the text here was taken from a translation of The Red Cross Book, a pamphlet issued by Gainax and sold in theaters throughout Japan during the showing of " The End of Evangelion". Credit to the translation of the book is to be given to Patrick Yip. Thanks Partick.

[ Ikari Shinji ]
Third Children. The dedicated pilot of EVA-01. Lost his mother when he was still young, he spent his life until 14 living under an acquaintance of his father. He was summoned by his father Ikari Gendou, the chief commander of secret agency NERV, just when the 3rd Angel came to attack, and thus became a EVA pilot. Although afterwards he stayed in Neo-Tokyo-3, he lives in the apartment of his superior Katsuragi Misato because there is a deep communication gap between him and his father, who had been separated from him for a long time. Having an introvert character, he often minds how he is looked at by others. And since he is weak at self-expression and communication with others, he frequently engages in repetition of avoiding problems and disobeying orders. When NERV was attacked by the Strategic Self-Defence Force, he was trapped in a state of lost self. This is why his counter-attack was procrastinated. Birthday: June 6. Blood type: A. Age: 14.

[ Ikari Gendou ]
The commander of the secret agency NERV. His old surname was Rokubungi (PY: it means sextant). He changed his name after he married Ikari Yui, whom he knew since student years. He became the president of the Research Institute for Artificial Evolution, which was actually a front cover for the works of "E Project". After Yui died, he busied himself with "Adam Project" and "Human Complementation Project". He got the support from SEELE, and managed to realize things like the construction of EVA. However, his "honeymoon" with SEELE lasted only until the elimination of the last Angel. Afterwards, their differences in objectives became apparent and it developed into violent military clashes. Birthday: April 29. Blood type: A.

[ Ikari Yui ]
Wife of Ikari Gendou. It seems that at the very beginning she belonged to SEELE. She was married to Gendou (originally Rokubungi Gendou), whom she knew since the Kyoto University years, and gave birth to Shinji. After marriage, she worked with Gendou in GEBIRTH and spent a lot of effort towards the success of "E Project". Died in an accident during an experiment in 2004. Nevertheless, her soul stayed on within EVA-01. It seems that this accident was actually intended by her will. Age when she died: 27.

[ Ayanami Rei ]
First Children. The dedicated pilot of EVA-00. A young girl who apparently lacks emotions. Her body was actually salvaged from what was left behind of Yui's body inside EVA, and a lot of body copies were later prepared in the Terminal Dogma so that when one Rei dies she could be replaced by another. The present Rei is the third one. The first was killed by Dr.Akagi Naoko; the second was killed in her battle against the 16th Angel. Although the personalities of these 3 Rei are different from each other, this is due to the environment. Their soul is one and the same. Also, it seems that this soul was somehow derived from Lilith. At the final stage of the Complementation Program, she betrayed Gendou, returned to Lilith out of her own judgement and handed the future to Gendou's son -- Ikari Shinji. Birth date unknown.

[ Soryu.Asuka.Langley ]
Second Children. Dedicated pilot of EVA-02. Nationality is USA, despite being one fourth Japanese and one fourth German. Having a high degree of intelligence, she graduated from university at 14. At the early stage of real battles, she boasted a higher Synch-rate than Third Children etc. The suicide of her mother led her to grow into a character of extreme aggressiveness. She could only keep her mental balance by making outward noises about her own excellence. Birthday: December 4. Blood type:: O. Age: 14.

[ Soryu.Kyouko.Zeppelin ]
The real mother of Soryu.Asuka.Langley. She fell into mental breakdown in an accident during an experiment. Afterwards, she became a person who lived in her own world, so much so that she committed suicide. Her soul was used as the core of EVA-02.

[ Katsuragi Misato ]
Misato Katsuragi is a twenty-eight year old woman leading a harsh lifestyle trying to avenge her haunting past. Though she has become sterrogate family for Shinji whom she shares an apartment with, she like her father is not the typical model guardian. Leading nearly two different lives, she is a drunk and a slob in her hours off work and is neither a wonderful housekeeper nor cook. Despite her habits Misato is one of the few who holds real compassion for Shinji and try's her best to be there for him. Though in no means is Katsuragi the run of the mill hero, Anno places her with the role, which blends brilliantly with the ebb and flow of the series.

At NERV she is known for her brash attitude and devotion towards the duty of destroying the Angels, working in her role as tactical planner, overseeing the EVA pilots in combat. Although Major Katsuragi is seemingly third in command at NERV, only surpassed by Commander Ikari and General Fuyutsuki, numerous secrets and details of the organization have been muddled or kept away, often leaving her questioning the interworkings of NERV and all it is trying to accomplish. As the series progresses we, unaware as Misato is, are asking the same questions.
Katsuragi's dire commitment to fighting the angels is genuinely because of her past. She is known as the sole survivor of Dr. Katsuragi's Antarctic research team, where everyone perished attempting to reduce Adam to an embryonic state thereby initiating the second impact. After experiencing the hell of second impact, she as a young girl was emotionally traumatized. While Misato had a rough relationship with her father, during the second impact he gave his life for hers, which immensely affected her throughout the rest of her life. Though she had once hated her father, much like Shinji, she was now unsure about what to think and in struggle came to the conclusion that the Angels had ruined her life. In turn, she joined NERV so that one day she would be able to avenge her father and quell the pain inside herself. This background is her justification for using any means to avoid failure, an attitude that is essential to accomplishing SEELE and Gendo's plans.
Before joining NERV, in college, Katsuragi became aquatinted with Mr. Ryoji Kaji and began a relationship that lasted over a span of several years. She, unstable in relationships, realized that Kaji was "exactly the man her father was" and broke off the relationship; Kaji believed he didn't deserve to be happy anymore and agreed to Misato's terms. Kaji, a pivotal character in the series, ended up as a double agent for NERV and the Japanese Government, and was killed in one of the later episodes. Though there is much controversy surrounding his death, many believe it was Misato who was forced to shoot him. Also in college Misato became friends with Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, who became Chief Scientist at NERV and is the technical supervisor for Project "E."
Misato's huge role in the series carries much of the story and casts light on the events of the past. Her personality reflects much of the aim of the series and gives additional questions that parallel Shinji's. The white cross she carries around he neck, the last item she holds from her father, often signifies her belief that there is always a way to survive; she is not lost to one hope as many of the characters are. Yet she satisfies herself by submitting to, pain, simple pleasures, and cannot stand to be left lonely The series can nearly alone be formed by the personalities of the characters, and Misato with her struggles, carries much of the weight. Birthday: December 8. Blood type A:. Age: 29

[ Akagi Ritsuko ]
A scientist belonging to the first section of the Technology Bureau of the Technology Development Department in NERV HQ. She is responsible for the E Project and is the daughter of Dr.Akagi Naoko, who built the basic system of MAGI. Usually in white coat, she consumes lots of coffee and tobacco when she works. She is also a friend of Katsuragi Misato since college years. Although like her mother she engaged in adultery with Ikari Gendou, she rebelled against him at the final stage of the Complementation Plan. As an act of taking revenge on him, she destroyed all the copies of Ayanami Rei. As a result, she was placed under solitary confinement within NERV HQ. However, since she is needed for the self defense of MAGI, she is released. Birthday: November 21. Blood type: B. Age: 30.

[ Kaji Ryoji ]
Belonged to the Special Surveillance Department of the Secret Agency NERV. He also belonged to the Investigation Department of the Internal Ministry of the Government of Japan. Taking orders from SEELE, he infiltrated in NERV to find out its secrets. He arrived at Japan from the Germany branch of NERV, together with the Second Children and EVA-02. He quitted from the Germany branch, and without going back, stayed and worked in NERV HQ. Katsuragi Misato used to be his lover in his student years but later separated from each other. They resumed their relationship after Kaji came back to Japan. Because of his own curiosity, he made enemies and was consequently killed by gunfire. He left the product of all his investigation to Misato. Birthday: June 17. Blood type: A.

[ Fuyutsuki Kouzou ]
The deputy commander of the secret agency NERV. Before the Second Impact, he taught in the University of Kyoto as the professor of Meta-Biology. It is at the same place that he got to know Ikari Yui and Rokubungi Gendou. Even shortly after the Second Impact, he was in opposition to Gendou. However, after their meeting at the Research Institute for Artificial Evolution, he suddenly changed and started to help Gendou. It also seems that he holds not just a little good feeling towards Ikari Yui. Birthday: April 9th. Blood type: AB.

[ Keel Lorentz ]
The chairman of the Committee of Human Complementation, also the director of SEELE. His body is totally machine from backbone down. He gave instructions of direct occupation of the secret agency NERV, so as to start complementation with EVA-01.

[ SEELE ]
A secret organization that existed even before the Second Impact. It hid the truth about the Second Impact and the existence of Angels and uses its power to abuse UN and other countries. After the Second Impact, it used UN as a cover, established the Committee of Human Complementation and the secret agency NERV, and built the EVA series. SEELE's Human Complementation Plan is mapped out according to what was recorded on the "Secret Dead Sea Scrolls". The objective of the plan is to move human up to another stage of evolution. However, with the loss of the Spear of Longinus, and then the rebellion of Ikari Gendou, the commander of the secret agency NERV, it became inevitable that the plan has to be changed at the last stage. By the way, "Seele" means "soul" in German. All organizations that are related to SEELE, like GEHIRN and NERV, all have their names derived from German. Could it be that these organizations first started in Germany?

[ Nagisa Kaworu ]
Fifth Children, who was sent by SEELE to NERV. However, his real identity was the 17th Angel. Perhaps he was an Angel which was captured by SEELE at his embryo stage. Different from other Angels, he has a mind quite close to human's. On documents his birth-date is AD2000 September 13th. In human form he made contact with Third Children (Ikari Shinji). Although he had good feelings towards Shinji, he was strangled and killed by EVA-01 piloted by Shinji. It was he who said "Life and Death are equivalent" and "Only one life-form could be chosen to be given the future".

[ Aoba Shigeru ]
An operator of the Central Military Operation Room in NERV HQ. His rank is lieutenant. His responsibilities include communication, and data analysis. His hobby is guitar. Birthday: May 5. Blood type: A

[ Hyouga Makoto ]
Rank lieutenant, belonged to the first section of the Bureau of Combat Operation of the Central Combat Operation Command Department in NERV. He serves as the combat aide-de-camp for Misato, the leader of the Combat Operation HQ, and also responsible for things like analysis of the combat situation. He has some good feeling towards Misato, his superior, and lends his hand for her objectives, collecting intelligence information for her at many occasions. Birthday: February 13th. Blood type: B.

[ Ibuki Maya ]
Second Lieutenant. Belonged to the First Section of the Bureau of Technology in NERV HQ, she is responsible for tasks like the monitoring of the Synchronization Rate of EVA pilots and the gathering and analysis of EVA-related data. She respects very much Dr.Akagi Ritsuko, her immediate superior. For personal character, it is said that she is fastidious, but honest and sincere. Birthday: July 11. Blood type: A. Age: 24